VIJAYAWADA: Days after signing an MoU by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) with the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIM-A) to prevent corruption in government departments, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy launched Citizens’ Helpline Number 14400 at his camp office in Tadepalli on Monday to enable people to file complaints related to graft in government offices.
After launching the helpline, Jagan called up the number and interacted with the staff manning it and enquired about its functioning. He also released posters in English and Telugu bearing the slogan ‘Let’s join hands to eradicate corruption’ to promote awareness among the people about the helpline. Officials should complete the probe into a complaint received through the helpline within 15-30 days. The helpline will work 24x7 and the staff manning it will pass on the e-complaint to the respective district ACB from where it is received.
The identity of the complainant and the conversation between the complainant and those who received the call, will be kept confidential. Simultaneously, senior officials and ACB sleuths at the distric level can log in to the system to ensure that the complaints are looked into within the stipulated time. Minister for Municipal Administration Botcha Satyanarayana, Director General of Police D Gautam Sawang and ACB Director General Kumar Vishwajeet were also present on the occasion.
Study Jagan’s graft first, Kala writes to IIM-A
Telugu Desam State president K Kala Venkata Rao, in an open letter to Prof Sundaravalli Narayanaswami of IIM-A who signed the MoU with the ACB for suggesting measures to curb corruption, said that it is pertinent for the IIM-A to understand the background and history of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy before embarking on its study.“Jagan is facing a slew of cases, which are being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). His recent election affidavit says that he has 31 criminal cases against him. There are seven cases against Jagan under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and 11 cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act,” Venkata Rao said.
The Enforcement Directorate investigation revealed that Jagan laundered the proceeds of his alleged crime through his group of companies, which included Sandur Power, Classic Realty, Silicon Builders, Saraswati Power and Industries and 10 other firms, in the form of investments, purchase of movable and immovable properties and third party payments, the TDP State chief said, mentioning that Jagan was arrested by the CBI and he spent 16 months in prison.
“It will be worthwhile to study and understand the ‘modus operandi’ of Jagan to amass wealth through corrupt means. Hence, we strongly request your study team to first understand and analyse the CM’s history of corruption cases, before embarking on the study on graft in the State, Venkata Rao said.